Tourism Ministry invites proposals for development of eco lodges, resorts

The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce is seeking proposals for the development of eco lodges and resorts in various regions countrywide.

The ministry said “Guyana has been recognised as a premier eco-tourism destination with much potential for further development.”

According to a statement by the ministry, the government, “is prepared to offer attractive incentives for the development of the eco lodge and the resort industry, including fiscal incentives.”

In a recent interview with members of the media minister Oneidge Walrond had noted that there is need for upgraded facilities.

“To have facilities that cater to different taste, different needs, different budgets, depending on what you would like to spend and what we found is that there has been a gap in luxury rooms. Some people just like to come with their hammocks and throw and camp, some people like air-conditioned experience,” Minister Walrond said.

“We have invited people in the private sector to come and develop the different areas, the falls, there are many falls there are many places that eco lodges would work in terms of being economically viable, will be a thriving business. We’ve seen a lot of Amerindian villages that would like to have their guest houses restored. So, there are lots of opportunities for eco lodges.”

The minister said there is currently no large eco-friendly resort in Guyana.

“We don’t just want to put down a mass hotel or a mass development, it has to be…that’s why we coined it the eco lodge, because there are certain requirements and stipulations that have to go into it when you (are) building an eco-lodge. So, it remains sustainable, it remains beneficial to the environment and it does not harm the environment and also takes into account the community which it’s being built in, but it’s still a lovely comfortable experience,” Minister Walrond said.

The ministry said the objective of the project is to generate employment by engaging the local communities, create business opportunities through collaboration and partnership by engaging local communities, to expand the country’s accommodation selection and room stock and to encourage the participation of the private sector to have co ownership of the tourism product.

The request for proposal can be downloaded from the ministry’s website. Deadline for submission is January 30,2022.